1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system and method for remotely monitoring and/or controlling an apparatus and specifically to an alarm monitoring and control system and method.
2. Background of the Related Art
The concept of protection of personal property has existed for quite some time. In order to provide protection, a variety of alarm systems have been developed. These alarm systems are used to detect different types of alarm conditions such as a robbery, a fire, or other emergency conditions. However, the mere detection of an alarm condition is frequently not sufficient to allow a proper response.
A variety of attempts have been made to deal with the issue of alarm systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,979 by Choi discloses a security system using telephone lines to transmit video images to a remote supervisory location. Unfortunately, Choi is limited by a selection of telephone lines to relay the alarm information back to a supervisory site. A skilled burglar will generally cut the phone lines to a location before committing a robbery so that no security information, or other forms of communication, can be transmitted during the course of the robbery. Furthermore, Choi does not provide for any type of transmission network in which individual neighborhoods can be grouped together as neighborhoods, rather he provides for a single supervisory site with direct communication to each of the security systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,474 by Park et al. discloses a photographic security system which detects the presence of an intruder and switches on an illumination system and sound system, and activates a still camera to take a picture of the illuminated intruder. The sound system is used to mask the operation of the camera so that the intruder is unaware the picture has been taken. The problem with Park et al. is that it provides no means for either transmitting the photographic image or transmitting an intruder detection signal to a main site. In other words, although Park et al. may allow the detection and photography of an intruder, it does not provide any mechanism for communicating this information back to another location.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,146 by Carlson discloses a burglar alarm system which incorporates photographic equipment to photograph an intruder and also includes a pneumatically operated audible alarm. Carlson suffers from the same problems as noted in reference to Park et al., i.e. it provides no method for sending either image data or a signal indicating that an alarm has occurred back to a supervisory site.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,590 by Heger et al. discloses an area surveillance system which includes an ultrasonic intrusion detector, an electronic range finder, and an instant camera. Heger et al. discloses a system in which the intruder is detected and the range finder is used to focus the camera on the intruding subject. After focusing, a series of pictures of the area are taken and these pictures are used to provide identification of the intruder. Heger et al. has the same problems as Carlson and Park et al. in that it does not provide any mechanism for transmitting either the photographic data or an alarm detection signal back to a central site.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.
The present invention provides an alarm monitoring and control system and method for use with alarm units which solves the problems described above.
In order to overcome the limitations of the current alarm systems, it is required that an alarm monitoring and control system be developed which allows for efficient and cost effective real time indication that an alarm has been detected and also provides some type of imaging data related to that alarm. The system needs to be flexible enough to allow the imaging data to be collected either directly at the site of the alarm or at a neighborhood site which is associated with several local alarms. Furthermore, in order to produce a cost effective system, it is preferable to have this alarm system associated with a monitoring and control system which is also performing other functions such as street lamp monitoring and control for example.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a system for monitoring and controlling alarm units or any remote device over a large geographical area.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a base station for receiving alarm data from remote devices.
Another object of the current invention is to provide an ID related to the alarm unit and related to the monitoring and control unit for allowing storage in a database to create statistical profiles.
An advantage of the present invention is that it solves the problem of efficiently providing centralized monitoring and/or control of the alarm units in a geographical area.
An additional advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a new type of monitoring and control unit which allows centralized monitoring and/or control of units distributed over a large geographical area.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows base stations to be connected to other base stations or to a main station in a network topology to increase the amount of alarm data in the overall system.
A feature of the present invention, in accordance with one embodiment, is that it includes an IVDS link between the monitoring and control unit and the base station.
Another feature of the present invention, in accordance with another embodiment, is that it allows the combination of alarm and lamp monitoring and control functions in a single monitoring and control unit.
An additional feature of the present invention, in accordance with another embodiment, is that it allows image data to be collected at either the alarm unit or the monitoring and control unit when an alarm condition is detected.
Another feature of the present invention, in accordance with another embodiment, is that it allows the alarm condition to be generated by a panic button.
These and other objects, advantages and features can be accomplished in accordance with the present invention by the provision of an alarm monitoring and control system comprising a plurality of alarm units for detecting an associated alarm condition; at least one monitoring and control unit, coupled to a group of the plurality of alarm units, for receiving alarm information; and a base station, coupled via an IVDS link to the at least one monitoring and control unit, for receiving alarm data from said at least one monitoring and control unit.
Additional objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.